We collapse together, both shaking and sweaty and perfect. Then, he pulls me against his chest. "You’re mine now, Lilah. Really mine."
"Always was," I mumble against his skin. "From the first day you told me to stop apologizing."
"Little girl who needed structure."
"Broken man who needed purpose."
"Not broken anymore." He tips my chin up. "You fixed me."
"You fixed me too."
We lie there in comfortable silence. Eventually, I ask, "Did you really decide I'm going back to school without asking me first?"
"Yes. You're too good at physical therapy to waste it. I'll handle the studio while you're in class. You'll finish your degree. You'll stop letting that asshole professor's words define you."
"What if I fail?"
"You won't. Because you have me now. And I don't let my little girl fail at things she's capable of doing."
The certainty in his voice makes my eyes sting. "Thank you, Daddy."
"For what?"
"For believing in me. For seeing what I needed. For not letting me people-please myself into oblivion."
"That's what Daddies do. Take care of their little girls." He kisses my forehead. "Now sleep. You have class at ten tomorrow."
"Yes, Daddy."
I fall asleep in his arms, safe and claimed and whole.
Six Months Later
"You're late," Geoff says when I rush into the cabin after my evening class, his voice calm but firm from where he's sitting on the couch.
"I know! I'm sorry! There was a new student who needed extra help with her form and I couldn't just leave her struggling."
"Lilah." He's sitting on the couch with his arms crossed, and I know that look. "What's rule number two?"
I check my watch and my stomach sinks. It's 10:17. "Bedtime by ten on work nights."
"And you texted me at 9:45 saying you'd be home by ten." He stands and walks toward me with deliberate slowness.
"I know, but she really needed help and I thought I could make it quick but then she had questions and—"
"Did you tell her you had to leave?" He's in front of me now, and I have to tilt my head back to see his face.
I bite my lip, already knowing this answer won't help me. "No."
"So you put a stranger's wants ahead of your own needs. Again." He cups my face, but there's steel beneath the gentleness. "You know what happens when you break rules."
My stomach flips with a mixture of anxiety and arousal. "Yes, Daddy."
"Good. Because we're not done working on this yet. Might never be done." He brushes his thumb across my cheekbone. "But you're getting better. Six months ago, you'd have stayed until midnight and not even realized it was a problem."
"Progress?" I ask hopefully.
"Progress." He kisses me, soft and quick. "Now get upstairs. You're still getting a punishment, but I'll go easy since you at least texted to let me know you'd be late."
